Skip to main content
European Commission logo
EACEA National Policies Platform:Eurydice
National reforms in higher education

Hungary

14.Ongoing Reforms and Policy Developments

14.4National reforms in higher education

Last update: 28 March 2024

2023

Renewal of teacher training

In order to preserve and expand the competences of kindergarten teacher training in higher education, the ministry, by amendment of the legislation, created an opportunity for kindergarten teachers to obtain a teacher's diploma with a two-year training.

In the field of teacher training, the opportunity was expanded for obtaining a teacher's diploma in the master's cycle with shorter trainings (2-4 semesters), for applicants with appropriate pre-qualification. It has become possible for applicants for 2-4 semester teacher's master's programmes to start and continue their studies with a state scholarship, in addition to the statutory support framework after their scholarship for the previous programme has been used up.

Moreover, through the amendment of the Decree 8/2013 of the Ministry of Human Capacities, students can acquire a teacher’s diploma, in addition to existing or ongoing university studies – in accordance with international practices –, either with complete professional knowledge with 2 semesters of methodological education, or with a combination of professional and methodological education in 3 semesters. This is financed by the state. Students could apply for these correspondence and full-time courses in the supplementary admission procedure in August 2023.

The range of institution maintainers involved in the Klebelsberg Training Scholarship Programme has been further expanded, thus, students participating in the teachers training program can fulfil their obligations linked to their scholarship in practice schools of public higher education institutions.

The government allows universities and colleges to set up teacher training centers, in which half of the members of the board responsible for the training curriculum are practising teachers.

The strengthening of doctoral courses

Scholarships are planned to be increased within the New National Excellence Programme with 3.5 billion HUF, doctoral students can receive 100 to 200 thousand HUF per month for academic excellence. In addition, the universities can use their additional resources to supplement the scholarships in model-changed, church- and state-maintained institutions.

The government encourages the promotion of the economic utilisation of innovation and scientific results, and to this end, among others, it amended the Government Decree on Doctoral Programme to the effect that among the doctoral programme requirements and the conditions for acquiring a doctoral degree, the social and economic utilisation of the doctoral student’s scientific research activity, in particular its innovative nature, must be taken into account. The Government provided approximately HUF 5.1 billion within the framework of the Cooperative Doctoral Programme; if the student working at the company is also enrolled in a doctoral programme and the results of his or her research have social and economic utilisation, a scholarship of 400 thousand HUF may be awarded.

If young employees working for companies are also enrolled in a doctoral program, they can deduct their social contribution; in addition, their company can ask for a 60 thousand HUF tax relief per month. If a student working in the business sector participates in self-funded doctoral training, the state pays the half of the tuition fee, and companies are encouraged to take the other half.

To increase the number of students enrolled in doctoral programmes, the government made the number of places more flexible, especially in the fields of technical, natural sciences, engineering, IT, agriculture, medicine, and health sciences.

Several higher education institutions, based on an agreement, can establish a doctoral school, which can function as a joint doctoral school.

Based on the government’s decission, time spent in doctoral studies now count towards the pension; the state assumes the first half of the pension contribution, and the universities are encouraged to assume the other half. The most talented students can continue their studies in a doctoral program after the bachelor's degree.

Higher Education Scholarships

In Hungary, 8 out of 10 students receive a state scholarship, which means an average support of HUF 6 million per capita per year.

Furthermore, nearly 35 type of state scholarships support students in state-recognised higher education institutions, providing approximately HUF 72.35 billion annually to more than 172,000 students. In Hungary's state-recognised higher education institutions, nearly 178,000 students are supported in 33 programmes with a total value of HUF 72 billion; scholarships are awarded based on talent, social need, academic results, or community and mobility reasons. In the case of model-changing institutions, roughly 10,000 students receive a total of HUF 2.3 billion in scholarships.

János Neumann Programme

The János Neumann Programme, adopted by the Parliament in June 2023, is one of the priority strategic measures of the Ministry of Culture and Innovation. The focus of the Programme is to strengthen the knowledge-based economy through the development of existing institutions and the implementation of new programmes.

Through the János Neumann Programme, The government aims to move Hungary from 21st place in the EU to the top 10 by 2030, and from 35th place to the top 25 innovators in the world by 2030. To this end, a new structure of the scientific and innovation ecosystem was defined, in which the cooperation of universities and the economy plays a prominent role. The National Innovation Agency (NIÜ) was established to create a flexible organization that has a catalytic role in the Hungarian innovation ecosystem and is capable of accompanying and supporting innovative ideas from their conception to marketing. The NIÜ will become the number one custodian of ensuring the economic and social utilisation of resources used in the field of innovation and science policy.

Furthermore, within the framework of the János Neumann Programme, a set of 9 groups of complex measures was developed to achieve the objectives described above. Measures include, among others, support for the internationalisation of Hungarian research and supporting innovative ideas to reach the market; focusing innovation investments on healthy living, on green transition and on digital transition and security; creating a predictable career path for Hungarian researchers; giving priority to Hungarian businesses and inventors in patent procedures; and promoting innovation activities in scientific carrer path as well. In order to create a suitable platform for cooperation between universities and the economy, Science and Innovation Parks are created and the support of innovation is expanded to the entire Carpathian Basin.

Fine-tuning of the quality and performance-based financing system

As some time has already passed since the introduction of the new funding system, the public task financing agreements were reviewed at system level and the indicators were fine-tuned by the ministry responsible for higher education, further strengthening the performance-based approach. In consultation with the higher education institutions, the number of students admitted to certain majors was redesigned. Emphasis is placed on a higher proportion of fields given priority by the state (STEM, agricultural sciences, medicine, health sciences, sports sciences and teacher training). 

Renewal of the admission systems

In the 2023 admission procedure, higher education institutions could decide on the majors for which they require an advanced or intermediate-level secondary school leaving examination as basis for the admission score calculation and what threshold for admission they apply for each major.

Another novelty of the admissions procedure, which has been fully electronic since this year, is that, applicants can now apply from a mobile device.

Language test and language skills

In order to alow higher education institution to define the required level of foreign language for its programmes, the requirement for a state-recognised language exam as a condition for the issuance of the diploma was abolished. The higher education institution must provide foreign language education with a focus on their respective profession as part of their curriculum. The institution of higher education may decide in its curriculum and syllabus, as well as in its study and examination regulations on the framework of education in a foreign language; on the announcement, admission and completion of subjects and curricular units in a foreign language or completing courses (partially) abroad; and the organisation of education, in whole or in part, in a foreign language. When launching a major or vocational training in a foreign language, the higher education institution may require a state-recognised language exam in the language of the programme, as a condition for admission to the programme.

2022

Development of doctoral programmes

In the spring, based on the strategic agreement signed with the National Association of Doctoral Students and in cooperation with them, measures were introduced in order for doctoral students and doctoral programmes to effectively increase the number of researchers, patents, and innovators.

“Tanítsunk Magyarországért” (Let's Teach for Hungary) Programme

The Let’s Teach for Hungary mentoring programme encourages higher education students to take social responsibility by mentoring disadvantaged students in primary and secondary education. In doing so, they not only help them, but also set an example of the value and benefit of learning. Students receive a scholarship from the higher education institution participating in the programme, they attend an induction course which serves as a basis for their work, and upon completion of the mentoring programme, they prepare a detailed report on their experience.

Scholarships for disadvantaged students

The “Útravaló” (Pathfinder) programme provides support for disadvantaged and multiply disadvantaged pupils and students from the last year of basic school (ISCED 1-2) until the HE graduation. The scholarship programme has four sub-programmes: Path to upper secondary school, Path to profession, Path to graduation, Path to diploma. Due to the governmental 2.5 billion HUF subsidy, more than ten thousand children and young people can benefit from this performance-based scholarship programme, the amount depends on the academic results of the pupil/student gained at the end of the previous school year. The programme is ongoing also in the school year 2022/23.

2021

Trust fund model in Higher Education

Hungarian higher education institutions – colleges and universities – may have various maintainers and can operate in different maintainer models. The public trust fund model was created in order to have a more open model responding to the needs of both the economy and public services and relying on innovation and talent. The maintainer of 21 previously state-owned universities have been changed to such trust funds. As of September 2021, more than 180,000 students began their studies at a model-changing institution, which is nearly 70% of the students.

Quality and performance-based financing

To finance higher education institutions operating under the management of public interest trust funds performing public duties, the government introduced quality and performance-based financing as of 1 September 2021. The essence of this is that the financing takes place in a contractual framework, that is, on the basis of the principles and rules of funding for the higher education activities stipulated in the 25-year framework agreement established between the minister responsible for higher education and the maintainance entity, and under a detailed public task financing agreement for a period of 6 years during the term of the framework agreement.

The previous student-based support was supplemented by support for scientific, research and artistic activities, as well as support based on quality and performance-based funding. Indicators of the expected quality of the higher education activity are specified in the agreements. The indicators support the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 4 – Quality education, such as reducing dropout rates; increasing the rate of post-graduate employment that helps credit progress; increasing the number of publications, as well as research and development activities. Additional indicators promote internationalisation, talent management, university sports and social incusion. Indicators are monitored.

Furthermore, based on this model, the government has developed a long-term quality and performance-based financing system also in relation to the higher education public tasks of certain established churches with a comprehensive or strategic agreement.

In the past six years, Hungary has doubled spendings on financing higher education; in 2022 the funds allocated of universities – which can be spent on wage increases and research infrastructure development – has increased to more than HUF 1,000 billion, which places Hungary among the TOP 5 EU member states with its spending of almost 2% in proportion to GDP.

The first successes of the model change are already tangible; while four years ago there were 7 Hungarian universities among the global top (TOP 5%), two years ago there were 9, but by today there are 11. Scientific performance increased by a total of 26% in the case of model-changing universities. In the past year, the number of students dropping out of university decreased by nearly 3%. In the past four years, the number of high-quality international publications has increased by 78 percent, and an increasing number of high-quality research is being conducted at the institutions. In the past years, the number of patent applications has also shown a significant increase; since 2018 their number has quadrupled. Moreover, the international attractiveness of Hungarian higher education is outstanding, as 42,000 foreign students are studying in Hungary.